Led, played well for a long time, but lost: The German national team experienced a debacle at the start of the World Cup and lost to Japan. The player of the match comes from VfL Bochum.
The German national team started the World Cup in Qatar with a defeat. The team of national coach Hansi Flick lost their opening game against Japan despite many chances and a deserved lead 1: 2 (1: 0) and already has to worry about reaching the round of 16. Ilkay Gündogan scored for the DFB-Elf from the point (33rd minute), then substitute Bochum Ritsu Doan turned the game around with a brace (75th/84th).
Flick relies on Süle and Gündogan
Coach Flick had sent his team onto the field in the proven and now well-established 4-2-3-1 system. At the front, Kai Havertz should convert the attacks of the DFB-Elf into goals, at the back Manuel Neuer should fend off the attacks of the Japanese without a “One Love” bandage on his arm. In between, the national coach relied on a back four with David Raum, Nico Schlotterbeck, Antonio Rüdiger and Niklas Süle as well as a lot of playful quality with Joshua Kimmich, Ilkay Gündogan, Jamal Musiala, Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry. Goal: make game, win game.
And these guidelines were then put into practice, at least in the first 45 minutes. Before kick-off, the captain’s armband discussions determined what happened off the pitch, after kick-off the DFB selection then determined what happened on the pitch.
Gündogan breaks the spell
The German players, who covered their mouths during the mandatory team picture and thus sent their silent protest to FIFA, quickly gained more than 70 percent possession and often acted according to the same pattern: left-back moved into the ball when they had possession Offensive and allowed Musiala more freedom. The back four became a back three, youngster Musiala acted as a second playmaker and boosted the offensive mainly through the middle. The only catch: the DFB-Elf didn’t create any real chances at first.
The German game looked quite respectable up to the penalty area of the deep Japanese, but in the last third there was a lack of penetrating power and accuracy against the multi-legged defence. Significant: The most dangerous German scenes before the break were a header from Rüdiger after a corner kick (17th), two long-range shots from Kimmich (42nd) and Musiala (44th) and Gündogan’s successful penalty, which Kimmich pulled out of the space after a nice side shift would have. A goal from offside by Havertz in stoppage time also correctly did not count.
Since Japan showed nothing forward except for two actions by Daizen Maeda, who scored from offside very early after Gündogan lost the ball (8th) and very late headed next to the goal (45th + 6), it was halftime -Leadership of the DFB-Elf well deserved.
DFB-Elf operates usury
After the restart, the Samurai Blue, who had started with five German legionnaires, dared to come out a little more from cover and made the game more open with a different tactical approach. The first result: more space for the DFB-Elf and several good chances.
Gnabry (47′) hit the outside post as did Gündogan (60′), Musiala also showed the most beautiful individual action of the entire 90 minutes (51′). The 19-year-old left several Japanese standing like slalom poles in a JayJay Okocha-style solo. In contrast to the former Eintracht Frankfurt player, Musiala did not put the ball in, but next to the goal.
The DFB-Elf was and remained the better team. Since there was a lack of efficiency in attack and substitute Jonas Hofmann (70th) and Gnabry again (71st) missed the best opportunities, the Japanese stayed in the game. Coach Hajime Moriyasu’s side grew bolder as the game went on and created their own chances.
Then Doan comes
After Neuer initially defused a shot from Junya Ito with a world-class save (74th), the captain was powerless shortly afterwards. After a nice attack by the Japanese, Bochum’s Doan came free and punished the German usury with the equaliser. Certainly happy at this point, but the goal didn’t come out of the blue.
And it got even better from the Japanese point of view: Just a few minutes later, Doan escaped from Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck and completely turned the game around with a shot from an acute angle. A shock for the DFB-Elf from which they never recovered. Coach Flick left no stone unturned and brought on comeback Mario Götze and debutant Youssafa Moukoko in the closing stages. The result did not change, despite a very good chance from Leon Goretzka (90+3), who also came on as a substitute. The changes came, but in the end they came too late.
Everything is at stake for Germany in the next game against Spain on Sunday (8 p.m.).